I Just Saved $22.60 By Double-Checking the Hotel Room Rate

T his may sound like something about which everyone should know — but I am posting this simple method to possibly save money on a hotel room rate anyway: double-check the hotel room rate at the hotel property where you already have a reservation, as it could save you money.

I had a reservation at a hotel property next month which had a room rate of $156.97, including all taxes and fees; and changes to the reservation were free of charge as long as they are not done within 48 hours before checking in to the hotel. I just decided to quickly double-check on the hotel rate; and the room rate had dropped to $134.37, including all taxes and fees.

The room details and rate conditions were exactly the same. This was a “no-brainer.”

I simply logged into my frequent guest loyalty program account, accessed my reservation, and changed the room rate. Voilà! I just saved $22.60 for a couple of minutes of work — if that.

While this little trick obviously will not work if you paid in full for your hotel room reservation in advance — usually under the terms that the reservation cannot be changed or canceled without a penalty — it can pay to take a moment and check the rates on current hotel reservations which do not have those restrictions.